ClimaMeter
Understanding Extreme Weather in a Changing Climate
ClimaMeter is an experimental rapid framework for understanding extreme weather events in a changing climate based on looking at similar past weather situations. Find out more here and follow us on BlueSky .
🆕 Starting from December 6, 2024, our analyses integrate ERA5 data, providing coverage from 1950 with a latency of approximately 5 days and GFS forecasts, for the most recent days where ERA5 data is not yet available. This upgrade ensures more robust data retrieval; extends our historical period up to 1950, improving the research of analogues; makes it possible to perform analysis on the same day an event occurs. For more details, click here.
Meteorological conditions leading to March 2025 wildfires in Japan and South Korea likely strengthened by human-driven climate change
The large-scale wildfires broke out in eastern Asia in March 2025, with devastating impacts in both Japan and South Korea were made more intense due to human-induced climate change, according to a new rapid analysis by the ClimaMeter consortium. The fires began on March 21st in western Japan and South Korea, fueled by dry conditions, strong winds, and high temperatures. At least six lives were lost across both countries, and the wildfires left widespread devastation, burning hundreds of hectares in Japan and thousands in South Korea.
Climameter found that depressions near East Asia similar to these wildfires bring up to +2ºC now that in previous decades in the wildfire-affected regions. Winds are also stronger, with speeds of up to 4.8 km/h more intense, especially near coastal areas of South Korea and northern Japan. The analysis found that while some of these changes can be caused by natural variability, human-driven climate change has also contributed to the event.
Heavy rain in March 2025 Argentina floods mostly strengthened by human-driven climate change
The catastrophic floods in Bahía Blanca on March 7, 2025, were primarily caused by an unprecedented and intense rainfall event. Within a span of approximately eight hours, the city received over 400 millimeters (15.7 inches) of rain, which is equivalent to its average annual precipitation. This deluge led to severe flash flooding, resulting in loss of life (16 deaths registered already and more than 150 people still missing three days after the event), significant infrastructure damage, including the destruction of bridges and the collapse of asphalt roads. The rapid accumulation of water overwhelmed the city's drainage systems, causing widespread inundation of homes, hospitals, and streets. In addition to this, according to medical experts, the spread of diseases could be expected as a forthcoming consequence.
Climameter found that meteorological conditions leading to the March 2025 Argentina floods are locally wetter by up to 4 mm/day (7%), in the present compared to the past. We interpret the March 2025 Argentina floods as an event driven by exceptional meteorological conditions whose characteristics can mostly be ascribed to human driven climate change.
People row kayaks on flooded streets in the city of Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, Argentina, March 9, 2025. REUTERS/Juan Sebastian Lobos
